Spring tensioned clamp for mail pouches



Feb. 6, 1945. NEWTT 2,368,941

SPRING TENSIONED CLAMP FOR MAIL POUCHES Filed April 5, 1943 INVENT OR.

Patented Feb. 6, 1945 SPRING TENSIONE-D CLAMP PoUcHEs FOR MAIL Fred M. Nevitt, Newton, Kans.

Application April 5, 1943, Serial No. 481,890

1 Claim.

This invention relates to spring tensioned clamps made from a single piece of Wire, 'and has for its principal object to suspend amail pouch vertically disposed and being carried by a crane mechanism, said crane being positioned in working relation to a railway train of cars so that the hook of a mail carrying coach will grab the pouch from-its clamps whereby the schedule time of the train is not interrupted.

A further object of this invention is to provide a releasable spring tensioned clamp having a pair of two legged prongs arranged so that'the legs of one prong will engage between the legs of the other and the corresponding side legs of each having a coil spring to move the prongs toward each other to the'extent of interlapping a spaced distance outward from the coils, and an outer end portion of each prong structure being bent outward from each other to receive a ringinsertible between the said' prongs and to be retained thereby where the said prongs interlap or cross each other and the ringbeing re-, movable by a retracting movement thereof, whereby each end of a mail pouch is released for the purpose herein stated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pair of two legged prongs so that the legs of each will brace the same against lateral movement and furthermore to increasethe tension of the prong that engages between the legs of the other prong, whereby the spring tension for each is equalized.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and wherein like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the clamp.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the clamp rockably secured to a supporting arm and a pouch carrying ring engaged between the prongs of the clamp.

Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3, and in which the ring is illustrated as being on its path outward from the prongs.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a crane and pouch supported thereby, the crane partially removed at its base.

The invention herein disclosed rel-ates to a spring tensioned clamp consisting of a pair of prongs I and 2 respectively, each of said prongs having two legs A and B, respectively, and coil springs 3 and 4 for their respective legs A and B, each spring being integral with its respective legs and intermediate of theirterminal ends,

. whereby said ring is insertible and removably retained by the tension of said spring upon said legs;

It will be understood that the outer terminal end of prong l is secured together by welding, while prong 2 is substantially semicircular in form while its legs A and B converge therefrom to where they join their respective springs, .the divergence of the legs to where'they join the circled portion being to provide a seat for the ring adjacent its periphery to avoid rocking movement transversely of the longitudinal axis of prong I, and the last said prong being the centering means for the ring on the first said prong as prong I engages the ring at its diametrical axis owing to the arcof the ring. It will now be seen the possibility of detachably supporting a mail pouchs on a crane through the medium of a ring secured to each end of the pouch by metallic hooks 1 that are secured to said pouch at each end thereof as shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent the ring on its path outward, whereby the prongs are being separated and by further movement outward the pouchis released from the clamps, the pouch, as heretofore stated, being picked up by a suitable hook rockably carried at the door jambs of the coach, said hook to engage at the neck D of the pouch whereby the contents thereof is divided to, equal the load in'each end of the pouch and to avoid mutilating any portion of the mail contained in the pouch.

The crane represented in Fig. 5 is merely to show a standard 8 having suitable arms 9between which the pouch is supported and to further illustrate the use of this invention, said crane not being accurately designed but suitable to illustrate the adaptability of the'spring tensioned clamps, the subject of this invention, and in which such modifications may be made. as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I i

h In a spring tensioned clamp of the class described, the clamp being made of a single piece the same direction from the springs and. the. I last said prong adapted to engage between the 10 legs of the first described prong interlappingly and the free end portions of the prongs being arced outward from each other to provide starting means for a ring insertable between the prongs, whereby the interlap of the arced portions of the prongs will be surrounded by the 'ring and the said ring being releasable from the prongs by a retracted movement of the ring.

lERED vn 

